An Overnight of Gratitude!!

My sis, bro-in-law, and "little" nephew came to visit for a few days.  Mainly because the kid had a week off from school, and is really into jellies (as in jelly fish).  So they went they saw

and more at the Baltimore Aquarium, before heading out for a massive dinner.

The next day the kid made his first trip into DC and his second trip to a Smithsonian museum. 

Dad later questioned, "That's stuff from my childhood. Should I be in a musem?"

Of course they made time to check out one of the area's tallest points of interest.

While they had hopes of getting tickets to the top, the next available time was at 3:30...way too late for a Friday with a massive drive back home the next day.

All of that was experienced before I arrived at my folks' place, as some of us actually had to be in school this week!

In a serendepitious sequence of events, I missed a major turn, and had to wait for three lights before I could left (err...right) myself. As I was getting out of the car, I turned around, and there was my nephew!

All 4 feet something of him! Two months had pased since I had last seen him, and yet, he had gone from a "kid" to a little boy. Maybe there's soemthing magical about turning 7! (Which he did last week.)

And so the traditions began, once all was unloaded and all were hugged.

We ...

Learned a new "ride" called a "Ben Drop!" (a la the Demon Drop at Cedar Point).  To perform this, the kid is positioned on top of the feet (with the feet on his chest and abdomen).

and then the adult lowers his/her knees VERY fast so the kid drops, falls, and laughs!

Of course we spent time teaching him how to play

&

When it was all said and done, there was a morning of Dad's homemade waffles, sausage circles, milk, juice, and coffee.

A comfortingly short, and super special visit! 

Thank you sis, bro-in-law, and tickling nephew for a delightful time! Thank you for hugs, for good convos, for laughter, and for memories! Thank you sis for instilling in the little man manners, responsibility, and teaching him a different set of traditions (things like lunch at Kings, Sarris' choc-covered pretzels, the state game, and having "real" conversations), while being patient with the seven year old that he is.

For what are you grateful at this moment?

Share with me, as we celebrate being grateful!